Homeless trap - how it goes bad

[offroad]

Interesting stories posted on reddit about how things get so bad when you are homeless

 

[Blue]

A good read, I'm a little nervous about talking about anything having to do with homelessness because of our new (no political discussions) rule but...

there are only two reasons why anybody does (or dosent do) anything...

1) to avoid pain.
2) to gain pleasure.

you might not understand the reasoning of why somebody "chooses" to be homeless or not work, or do drugs. maybe they dont know a better way, maybe they suffer so much they would do anything to distract themselves from it, maybe they've lost all faith in themselves, maybe they have tried and tried and tried in the past only to fall farther and harder and watched their situations get worse and worse...

but regardless of the reasons "why" they do these things, you have to look at the human side of it, if they could follow a different path, if they believed in their ability to do so, and make their lives better they would. Their not lazy (being homeless and unemployed is very hard work), their dammaged, and surviving the best way they know how. To look at the problem any other way (IMHO) is just being judgemental, prideful, self serving, and superior.

 

[offroad]

Blue - very wise comment.

 

[bobbert]

but regardless of the reasons "why" they do these things, you have to look at the human side of it, if they could follow a different path, if they believed in their ability to do so, and make their lives better they would. Their not lazy (being homeless and unemployed is very hard work), their dammaged, and surviving the best way they know how. To look at the problem any other way (IMHO) is just being judgemental, prideful, self serving, and superior.

Good last sentence, Blue...

One thing I noticed about that link (to that forum) is that there was a lot of ppl's words about "beggars" & the like...-prolly the main focus of the subject, as I didn't read it thoroughly.

Yet, I choose (not that my words mean anything herein) to NOT live in a house, since I cannot stand to live/sleep/spend time in a building with other people. I actually am around people all day long & have low tolerance for people & their idiosyncrasies. Plus, coming off of numerous girlfriend & wife problems, I too am "damaged".

I simply do NOT like people. Thus, that is why I am homeless.
Not that this^statement really contributes much to this conversation...

 

[akrvbob]

As the recent recession has so well pointed out, a huge part of the country is just a month or two from homeless.

There but for the grace of god go I!
Bob

 

[offroad]

Sometimes I think about quitting my salary job. And living off savings until SS kicks in with whatever the local-state-federal do after that. Then think when I read discussions it might not be a wise move until I can generate $50k of income to handle medical and living expenses. Unfortunately that means $500k in savings generating 10% and that is hard to create with anyone's salary.

 

[Patrick46]

(this is my 3rd rewrite of this post...and I'm having a very difficult time expressing my view without getting myself booted off this forum! My first 2 were extremely long, and were not very happy.)

I have been homeless, and nope, it isn't easy...not at all! (unless you live on a tropical island, with lotsa fruit trees.)

Through my OWN personal experience of being there, (and my VERY STRONG OPINIONS on this matter)...I'll withhold any further comments.

 

[mockturtle]

Blue:

there are only two reasons why anybody does (or dosent do) anything...

1) to avoid pain.
2) to gain pleasure.

I very respectfully disagree with your premise. Sometimes people do what is right [yes, some can argue that this term is relative] even when it gives no pleasure and even involves pain.

 

[jonthebru]

Reddit can be really cruel but this series actually had some positive perspective among the "stories".

 

[Blue]

@ bobbert sounds "too damaged" to believe in his ability to make his life better, then again... I identify with a lot of what he is saying, I feel the same way myself most of the time, I guess my big issue is figuring out what the difference is between "mobile homeless" and "vandweller" if there really is much.

@ akrvBob- I think the number I read was 30% of the country 1-3 pay checks away from default, if your paid bi-weekly, thats two weeks for a lot of people, and IMOHO I think it's getting worse from here on in not better.

@ offroad, I think the same thing, really all I'm waiting for is a little inherritance then I will be going the other route, I plan to travel the country for about five years then go international until my health eventually fails but the future is just a dream, and all plans change once the first punch lands.

@ patrick46, right there with ya... figure I'll tread lightly but.... not going to change who I am because people might not like me or my opinions. I follow the great sage Popeye's zen coan "I yam whats I yam, and thats all that I yam."

@ MocTurtle, I dont personally believe there is such a thing as pure altruism, when you "act rightly" you feel satisfaction, pride, etc you get some big rewards. In fact I would say the cheif motivator to all atruistic acts is pure selfeshness, and thats not a bad thing. Feeling good when you do good is the way its supposed to be, feeling like somebody owes you something because you did them a favor is frustration waiting to happen. The amazing thing is thinking about how humans developed empathy and a desire to perform selfless acts at all... heres a really good article...

Evolutionary psychologists have long puzzled over how to explain altruism because it is not obvious why a set of genes could encourage self-sacrificial behavior without going extinct. The only way in which it is mathematically possible for any kind of selflessness to evolve is for selfless individuals to associate more frequently with other selfless individuals than with non-selfless individuals.

(IE this is why we form community, you associate with selfless self sacrificing individuals because it promotes survival, associating with purely selfesh individuals. IE "takers" promotes non-survivial IE death... think the tv show "the walking dead" points this out in a lot of ways and is my favorite show)

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...s-service-part-i-is-selfless-service-possible

@ jointhebru, Everytime I start thinking the internets is actually evil, somebody does or says something nice... I do think its a bathroom wall, but sometimes people write good stuff on there.

 

[offroad]

Blue - thanks for response. You write a lot. But it's very good stuff

 

[offroad]

http://www.upworthy.com/there-are-p...re-for-at-least-one-journalist-no-more?c=ufb1

More notes on being homeless. Anderson cooper 60 minutes video.

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http://www.popularresistance.org/portland-pitchforks-torches-protest-mayors-crackdown-on-homeless/

In Portland Oregon people care enough about homeless to make a protest. Pitchforks and Torches march to the mayors office.